Rhode Island drivers are bad

[Recchia]

According to a survey, RI's drivers are the least knowledgeable in the lower 48 states. The survey had questions from actual driving license tests I guess.

"Most of the Northeast and mid-Atlantic scored near the bottom: 1 in 5 drivers from those regions failed to achieve a passing grade of 70 on the test. Rhode Islanders scored an average of 77. The test also suggests that the nation's least knowledgeable drivers, here in the Northeast, are also the ones most likely to speed."

http://www.projo.com/news/content/projo_20...27.262ec6e.html

[Frankie811]

According to a survey, RI's drivers are the least knowledgeable in the lower 48 states.  The survey had questions from actual driving license tests I guess.

"Most of the Northeast and mid-Atlantic scored near the bottom: 1 in 5 drivers from those regions failed to achieve a passing grade of 70 on the test. Rhode Islanders scored an average of 77. The test also suggests that the nation's least knowledgeable drivers, here in the Northeast, are also the ones most likely to speed."

http://www.projo.com/news/content/projo_20...27.262ec6e.html

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It says that RI's drivers are the least knowledgeable, not the worst drivers. What they mean is that we don't understand highway signs etc...........

[matt]

Is it possible that my driving has gotten worse since I moved here, or am I just disillusioned that I was once a good driver?

Case and point: I used to be able to parallel park.

[Cotuit]

Even more reason why RIPTA needs full funding, we should just make sure we get bus drivers from out of state.

[Lova]

When I first got my driving license in the mid 80s there was a driving etiquette. People flashed high beams to indicate a speed trap or to tell you to move over, and we did. We also picked up hitchhikers, but I digress. None of this functions today.

There would be far fewer accidents, and less crowded highways, if the DOT sponsored a "Drive Right" campaign. If people didnt float along in the left lane at 60 there would be room to move and the highway would be less congested.

Left lane pigs are the principle progenitors of highway chaos. We spend millions on drunk driving ads but still have high accident rates. Its wasted cash. Get people to Drive Right and there would be more order and fewer crashes.

Raising driving etiquette is a key to increasing the quality of life in RI. Etiquette, not laws, is the way. Establish social norms of individual courtesy and maintain them.

[Garris]

When I first got my driving license in the mid 80s there was a driving etiquette. People flashed high beams to indicate a speed trap or to tell you to move over, and we did...  None of this functions today.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Quite right Lova. I can count on one hand the number of times in the last 15 years of driving that anyone has warned me of a speed trap or moved over when I've flashed to pass...

I must admit, though, having grown up in ruralish New York state, my parallel parking skills are quite poor, although I think I'm getting a little better...

- Garris

[ArtInRuins]

I love RI, but we are some of the worst drivers for sure. I dont understand it some times. The best is the people who stop at intersections where there are no stop signs or lights, and then blow right through real signs... and the whole gunning it through "pink" lights has got to stop.

In such a small state, where it takes so little time to get from one place to the other, you would think we all wouldn't be in such a rush...

[Nyuszi]

OMG, this is awesome!

I learned to drive in rural NH, and everyone I know still DOES signal for speed traps and if you get north enough on 89 or 91, you'll notice that people actually do drive right.

There would be far fewer accidents, and less crowded highways, if the DOT sponsored a "Drive Right" campaign.

FL actually put forth a bill to deal with left lane morons, but it was vetoed http://www.tampabays10.com/news/news.aspx?storyid=14206. I can't find the original story I read, but it would fine both those who drove too slow in the left lane and those who passed on the right.

The best is the people who stop at intersections where there are no stop signs or lights, and then blow right through real signs

I know, it kills me! I swear that 1 out of every three times I drive down Angell or Waterman, a person ahead of me will stop at a green light and sit there, then go once it turns red. I recently saw someone coming out of EastSide Market who decided that Right Turn on Red also applied to Left Turn on Red. And, about once a week, I see someone driving the wrong way down a one-way street, about half the time, facing backward, as if somehow that made it legal!

Oh and the lack of signaling skills and understanding of lanes! I see people turn without signaling, signal without turning.. or my favorite is this idea that signaling creates the reality you want. Like, the only time I see anyone use a blinker that's actually for the direction they are going in is when they want to make a left turn from the right turn only lane.

Sorry to vent, but this astounded me for months after I moved here!

[matt]

Oh and the lack of signaling skills and understanding of lanes!  I see people turn without signaling, signal without turning.. or my favorite is this idea that signaling creates the reality you want.  Like, the only time I see anyone use a blinker that's actually for the direction they are going in is when they want to make a left turn from the right turn only lane.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

For real....

It seems to me the concept of using signals wasn't fully explained to many drivers. My understanding is that one should use their directional to inform other drivers of one's intent to change direction. The sooner the signal is used, the more warning is achieved.

I've noticed that many drivers, not counting those who don't signal at all, don't use their signals until they are actually turning. Well, by then, I've noticed that your car is moving and your signal happens to be on! If you had used the signal 100' before turning, like you were supposed to demonstrate when you took your drivers test, I would have been able to anticipate your turn!

[Cotuit]

And, about once a week, I see someone driving the wrong way down a one-way street

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I see cars going the wrong way on Waterman at least once a day.

[CtownMikey]

hmm, MAYBE its the drivers ed program.. for me it was 5 days 9 hours a day.. THEY expect ME to remember everything from one week??? spread the program out from a beginners class at age 14 to intermediate at 15 and a much harder final course the year after.. honestly, a mentally challeneged baby could pass that class.!!

Make driver's in R.I. hate and fear this class so much that they will never forget one single sign.

[Nyuszi]

hmm, MAYBE its the drivers ed program.. for me it was 5 days 9 hours a day.. THEY expect ME to remember everything from one week??? spread the program out from a beginners class at age 14 to intermediate at 15 and a much harder final course the year after.. honestly, a mentally challeneged baby could pass that class.!!

Make driver's in R.I. hate and fear this class so much that they will never forget one single sign.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think you're dead on! I was discussing this with a NJ native (NJ was just above Mass, so pretty well even with RI) and he said they don't even require Diver's Ed if you pass the written! What?

NH only came in 24th, so it's not like were paragons of driving knowledge or anything, but we had required drivers ed (you could wait and get it at 18 just by passing the written, but NH is so rural, it's nearly impossible not to need a car sooner than that) and it was 4 hours/week for something like 10 weeks, plus 15 hours supervised driving.

I think it helps to have scary driver's ed instructors, too.

[Frankie811]

http://www.projo.com/news/content/projo_20...27.3199ad0.html

[phantombantam]

I see cars going the wrong way on Waterman at least once a day.

Ha ha. Same here. I always make sure to look both ways when crossing waterman.

But I recently came up with a hypothesis as to why RI is notorious for bad drivers. Cities are typically known for bad drivers (think boston and NY). Rhode island is pretty much the only state that is completely urbanized (I'm not sure if New Jersey's higher density is just because of the section in NYC metro like Jersey city). Because of the dense population there is no rural area where the good drivers lurk (western mass, northern NY). I might be wrong, but this could also be the cause of other statistical anomalies in RI. And that is disproven, we can always blame all the "massholes"

[Gusterfell]

But I recently came up with a hypothesis as to why RI is notorious for bad drivers. Cities are typically known for bad drivers (think boston and NY). Rhode island is pretty much the only state that is completely urbanized (I'm not sure if New Jersey's higher density is just because of the section in NYC metro like Jersey city). Because of the dense population there is no rural area where the good drivers lurk (western mass, northern NY). I might be wrong, but this could also be the cause of other statistical anomalies in RI. And that is disproven, we can always blame all the "massholes"

That makes sense to me. I would add to it that the 18th-19th century layout of our urban areas is more difficult to navigate by automobile than the regular grids of most later cities, leading to confused drivers behaving unpredictably. new Jersey and Massachusets scored just above RI on this survey, and both have streets in a similar, spaghetti-like pattern to ours.

Though I don't know if urban drivers are actually any worse than rural drivers. I'd bet that rural drivers make just as many careless errors, though they go unnoticed due to the much lower traffic density. Running a stop sign Downcity is much more likely to cut someone off than doing so in Foster.

[webbage]

That makes sense to me. I would add to it that the 18th-19th century layout of our urban areas is more difficult to navigate by automobile than the regular grids of most later cities, leading to confused drivers behaving unpredictably. new Jersey and Massachusets scored just above RI on this survey, and both have streets in a similar, spaghetti-like pattern to ours.

Though I don't know if urban drivers are actually any worse than rural drivers. I'd bet that rural drivers make just as many careless errors, though they go unnoticed due to the much lower traffic density. Running a stop sign Downcity is much more likely to cut someone off than doing so in Foster.

Don't worry, the drivers are still horrible up here in Burrillville.

[Lone Ranger]

Though I don't know if urban drivers are actually any worse than rural drivers. I'd bet that rural drivers make just as many careless errors, though they go unnoticed due to the much lower traffic density. Running a stop sign Downcity is much more likely to cut someone off than doing so in Foster.

I have no idea, but I spent 4 years living down South, where I came to the conclusion that people are human & fallible no matter where you go, but that people here up North aren't very polite on the roads.

Actually, people here up North aren't very polite, period, I guess. But then again, in my time in Arkansas, I also came to the conclusion that politeness is overrated. And I came back here. But that's a different discussion.

Anyway, I felt horribly out-of-place on the roads down there. I don't consider myself a particularly aggressive driver, but with nothing but Southern drivers around me, I was always the most aggressive driver of the bunch. Yeah, I'm not ashamed to say, among the Powderpuff People, I often felt like the king of the assholes.

And yet, now back home in Rhode Island, I find that I remain a moderate driver, as I thought I was in the first place. I keep to pretty safe speeds, I use signals, I try not to do anything too sudden that would disturb drivers around me, etc.

I don't know if rural drivers up here compare with rural drivers elsewhere. Even rural New England is usually far more developed than lots of parts of this country. Can you imagine living in a town or "city" that didn't have any traffic lights? I can't, but I've met people who lived in such places. To which I say ... nothing, because I have no idea what you say about something like that. I'm sorry, I guess?

[runawayjim]

I have no idea, but I spent 4 years living down South, where I came to the conclusion that people are human & fallible no matter where you go, but that people here up North aren't very polite on the roads.

Actually, people here up North aren't very polite, period, I guess. But then again, in my time in Arkansas, I also came to the conclusion that politeness is overrated. And I came back here. But that's a different discussion.

Anyway, I felt horribly out-of-place on the roads down there. I don't consider myself a particularly aggressive driver, but with nothing but Southern drivers around me, I was always the most aggressive driver of the bunch. Yeah, I'm not ashamed to say, among the Powderpuff People, I often felt like the king of the assholes.

And yet, now back home in Rhode Island, I find that I remain a moderate driver, as I thought I was in the first place. I keep to pretty safe speeds, I use signals, I try not to do anything too sudden that would disturb drivers around me, etc.

I don't know if rural drivers up here compare with rural drivers elsewhere. Even rural New England is usually far more developed than lots of parts of this country. Can you imagine living in a town or "city" that didn't have any traffic lights? I can't, but I've met people who lived in such places. To which I say ... nothing, because I have no idea what you say about something like that. I'm sorry, I guess?

i don't think it's an urban/rural thing. i think it's more a region thing. up here, the population density is higher than anywhere else in the country. it's basically a "kill or be killed" sort of thing almost anywhere in the northeast. RI drivers are no worse than MA drivers or NY drivers or CT drivers. for the record, i'd like to put NJ drivers as the worst drivers.

something i noticed this weekend as i spent it in philly... i took the bus a lot while i was there. many of the streets have bus only lanes. HA! i loved watching the bus driver get pissed at people who would pull off not knowing where they're going driving slow in the bus lane. then there's girard ave where they've got a trolley in the middle (similar to comm ave in boston with the green line). except sometimes the trolley lane is also for cars, other times it's not. and there are signs that say "trolley only". double HA! people use it to get around other cars just to get one car length ahead (traffic was awful when i was on girard because of the zoo which had just opened a big cat exhibit and it was a holiday weekend). the whole "don't block the box" thing didn't hold true because of the traffic.

i think the reason people "become" bad drivers here is because they have to in order to make it among the other bad drivers. otherwise, you sit there and don't move because everyone else thinks they own the road.

[Frankie811]

http://channels.netscape.com/autos/package...ers/rudedrivers

[markOne]

It is not kill or be killed. It is not urban or rural. I don't know what it is but the drivers here are the worst I have ever seen.

I've driven trucks (only up to 24

[runawayjim]

It is not kill or be killed. It is not urban or rural. I don't know what it is but the drivers here are the worst I have ever seen.

I've driven trucks (only up to 24

[markOne]

http://channels.netscape.com/autos/package...ers/rudedrivers

I would love to see a national study that included all 50 states broken down by county and the top 500 cities. Everything I have seen so far only covers parts of the country (some include RI others don't).

The linked study only included the following cities:

Miami

Phoenix

New York

Los Angeles

Boston

Minneapolis

Nashville

St. Louis

Seattle

Atlanta

Chicago

Cleveland

Dallas/Fort Worth

Denver

Detroit

Houston

Philadelphia

San Diego

San Francisco

Washington/Baltimore

[markOne]

how much time have you spent driving in any of hte other states compared to RI? i've done a lot of driving in jersey, and i have to say, it's worse there. same goes for driving around boston. outside the city it's not quite as bad, i'd say it's on par with RI, but it's definitely worse in boston.

i've never driven in NYC, so i can't say there, but as crazy as the taxis are, they do know what they're doing (at least i hope). and i've never driven out west. one of the nicest places i've driven was in texas. but people there seem very polite. the northeast as a whole has some of the worst drivers, and i would blame it on the population density. but jersey is definitely worse than RI.

Please read my post. I have driven in many (30+) states in many types of vehicles.

Boston, NJ can't compete (and I have logged thousands of hours NJ both places). Those drivers will cut you off while doing 90 in a 25 but at least they know they are doing it and might even flip you off for fun. In RI the same thing could happen but the driver will not even notice you were there. I'll take the aggressive driver with a clue any time.

You are right the taxies in NY can drive. I actually just join them and I find I can fly around the city. I just added NY because I knew some folks hate driving there.

It is not population density. Other Cities do just fine and they have high density. There is something moremore to it. I just don't know what.

I think even on this board some drivers think running red lights when they "know no one is coming" is fine.

[Cotuit]

I'll say again, from a pedestrians perspective, having lived in Boston, Portland (ME), New York City, and Providence; Providence is by far the worst place. I would rank those four places, best to worst as follows:

Portland

New York

Boston

Providence

I will concede that part of the blame in Providence rests with poor maintenance and signage. But there are some very basic rules of the road that Providence drivers inability or unwillingness to comply with can't be explained away because signs and roads are bad.

[eltron]

how much time have you spent driving in any of hte other states compared to RI? i've done a lot of driving in jersey, and i have to say, it's worse there. same goes for driving around boston. outside the city it's not quite as bad, i'd say it's on par with RI, but it's definitely worse in boston.

I disagree completely. I lived in Boston for 5 years, and RI drivers are far, far worse.

In fact, the only place I have encountered worse drivers is Buenos Aires, and they didn't have PVD beat by that much.

I have also encountered people that drive drunk far more often in PVD than anywhere else. Its a bit disturbing.